Playing to a Dark Room
by Nudgy Turian
Summary: A game in the dark...


**Playing to a Dark Room (or How I Learned to Like Losing)**  
A "V for Vendetta" short story by Tina Price. A game in the dark... No sore losers allowed!

**Disclaimer: **V for Vendetta and all characters therein are the property of Warner Brothers Entertainment Company and DC Comics.

**Author's notes: **This story is** rated R,** for gratuitous sexual content. As always, constructive criticism and advice are always appreciated!

**Playing to a Dark Room**

Evey's heart was hammering in her chest as she moved as silently as possible through the Shadow Gallery. At the moment every light was out and the place was in complete and total darkness; not the smallest visual cue remained.

That alone was unnerving, but compounding things and raising the anxiety level was the fact that her lover was also moving silently through these darkened spaces.

He'd issued her a challenge, a playful, intriguing and oh-so-sensual one at that; catch him and he would do whatever she pleased, but be caught by him and prepare instead to do his bidding.

The way he'd run his hands down her arms and then pulled her firmly against him had made it quite clear just what the prize was and just that one caress and intimate hug had been enough to convince her to play his game.

There was also the fact that they hadn't seen each other in several days; he'd been off purchasing books at estate sales.

So now here she was; carefully, blindly finding her way through the maze of statues and furnishings while convinced that every bump against something gave her position away. To make matters worse, she was well aware of V's ability to move silently and swiftly as well as the fact that he knew his home well enough not to need light to find his way around.

She would have to outsmart him in some way; yes, trick him in order to even the odds. But how?

Just then something moved past her, brushing against her full length, a hand running over her breast and cloth billowing behind as it moved away.

A low-pitched chuckle was heard from somewhere to her left.

"Mmmm... you'll have to do better than that," he whispered. "Unless, of course, you want me to use you as I please."

His voice was already moving away from her, yet her skin broke out in goosebumps and a thrill of excitement ran through her at the unexpected encounter.

"You seem pretty sure of yourself," she whispered back and then carefully moved backwards to where she imagined the nearest wall to be.

"I know this place better than you, my love," he crooned, his voice coming from the spot where she had stood only seconds ago.

She froze and held her breath. She could hear him moving around the spot as though trying to ascertain where she had gone. When he moved off again, she continued her silent, backwards retreat until she found the wall. Dropping down into a crouch, she slid into the small space between two sculptures. Having recognized them by feel, she now knew where in the gallery she was.

This was a good place to think without him running into her. But, what to do next? How did one out-fox this particularly good hunter?

She heard a sound coming closer... Ah, gloved fingers running over stone walls. He was circling the room now. Had he guessed that she would move to the closest wall?

As he drew near, she again held her breath.

He paused right in front of her; she heard the faintest sound of one of his boots scraping the floor. Then he moved off, continuing towards her right.

Evey suddenly knew what she would do, but first she would have to wait for him to speak.

A few minutes later he did.

"Evey... Love..." he called, in a voice like velvet. "I grow anxious for you. Really; you've no idea how... stimulating I find this."

Although his voice was turning her legs to jelly, she still managed to move ever so slowly and quietly in the direction of the television area, using his own voice as cover for any noise she might make. When he stopped talking, she stopped moving. He was closer to the kitchen now, which gave her an advantage.

"Ah, you clever minx; not falling for my banter, are you?" he said, the sound of his voice coming closer. "Refusing to talk, are we? Hiding under or behind something, are we?"

Dammit; he seemed to be headed right for her! Again, as he talked, she moved; this time a little more quickly, a little less carefully. Again she froze as he became silent.

Forcing herself to breathe as quietly as possible and not to move a muscle, she waited... tense and thrilled. The very air around her seemed to have become a living entity; she could feel the drafts stir the hair on her arms and send a shiver of anticipation and pleasure rippling through her.

"Perhaps..." came V's voice from the other side of the piano. "Perhaps I'll be able to sniff you out. Do you think that I might, Evey? Are you enjoying this as much as I? Will the scent of your excitement draw me to you?"

Again she moved as he spoke, this time right around the sofa. Now came the hardest part; climbing up on it without it squeaking and giving her away... and dammit, his words were making it hard to concentrate. He was deliberately baiting her! Besides, he couldn't actually sniff her out, could he?

Lifting one leg, she carefully positioned her foot in the space between two cushions, then began to shift her weight to it.

"Love... you're forgetting that so long as you hide, you cannot catch me and claim your prize," he husked out, somewhere closer to her.

As he spoke, she lifted her other foot and managed to place it silently on the cushions. Slowly, she put her weight on that foot, making it sink down into the leather cushion and distributing her balance evenly between her legs.

Miraculously, there was no sound to give her away.

Now all she had to do was wait; sooner or later he would check out this area, but she doubted that he would be looking for her to be standing on the furniture and hovering a head above him.

Again she heard a very faint sound; amazing really that anyone wearing boots could move so silently on stone... Then there was a stirring of the air around her. Good Lord but he was right there; right in the space next to the back of the sofa.

Her heart quickened. She held her breath.

Would he come on around?

She could feel the faint vibration of his hand sliding across the sofa's back, continuing around to the arm.

Almost there...

"Evey, darling..."

His voice was right in front of her.

"Where are y..."

She leaped onto him, wrapping her arms and legs about him like a monkey.

"Ooof!" The small sound of surprise was knocked out of him and he nearly went down, so unexpected was her attack, but his strength and sense of balance won out in the end; he remained on his feet.

His arms came up around her automatically.

"Consider yourself caught," she laughed.

He chuckled and nuzzled her neck with his face, his mask unexpectedly absent. "I talk too much, don't I?"

"Only very rarely," she teased.

"That was very clever."

She sighed with contentment. The man did not hand out compliments lightly.

"Thank-you. Now, wasn't there something about a prize?"

He nibbled her ear. "Lady, I'm all yours for the night. Do with me what you will." To make his point, he ran a gloved hand down to the small of her back and pressed her more firmly against him.

She groaned, breathing faster; he hadn't been joking when he'd said that he found this game stimulating.

"I eagerly await your instructions," he purred into her ear.

And suddenly she had no idea what she wanted, specifically. Oh she wanted him, that much was certain, but to give him orders; she found that both intimidating and somewhat embarrassing.

He seemed to read her mind, as usual. "Don't be shy, my little one," he breathed. "Say anything; I'm all eagerness to comply!" Taking her hand, he placed it over his heart and she could feel it pounding rapidly against his chest, proving just how eager he was.

"Unbutton my blouse," she commanded as sudden sensual thoughts entered her head.

V did just that; fumbling with the tiny buttons as she remained wrapped around his waist.

"Remove it."

He peeled it slowly off her shoulders and arms before throwing it on the couch.

"Maybe I should keep my bra on," she thought aloud, intent upon teasing him. At his groan of disappointment she smiled and relented, "On second thought, you can get rid of that as well."

Never had he removed her bra as quickly as he did then. It joined her blouse on the couch.

She thought for a moment, making him wait while she decided what she wanted him to do next. "Run your hands over every inch of my exposed skin," she finally breathed.

He paused. "My gloves..." It was a question.

"You chose to wear them during our game, so you can continue wearing them," she said, managing to suppress her laughter.

V let out an unhappy sound, but then complied with her demand and slowly ran his gloved fingertips over her face, tracing her eyes, her nose and mouth before stroking her cheeks and her ears. The same light touch moved down her neck, both back and front as he worked his way down her body. By the time he reached her chest she was trembling and having trouble holding on to him.

"Easy, love," he laughed. "You don't want to fall off, now do you?"

"You would catch me if I did," she moaned, as his hands began stroking the outer sides of her breasts.

"Yes," he agreed. "I will always catch you, Evey; I'll never let you fall."

With that he lightly pinched her nipples, causing her to moan louder and press firmly against him. Then his hands moved on as he spent the next five minutes simply stroking her skin. By the time he stopped and said, "There, I believe I've gotten it all," his own legs were shaking unsteadily as well.

With trembling hands, she undid the clasp on his cloak, letting it fall to the floor. Then she searched out and began pulling down the small, hidden zipper to his jacket.

"Take this off," she said, after she had it open.

With a few adjustments of her position, he managed to shrug out of it and then tossed it aside.

Evey's fingers immediately went to work on the buttons of his silk shirt as she slowly, very slowly, unbuttoned it. Now and then she teased him by rubbing more firmly against his hardness.

The sounds that escaped him were her reward for the time she put into it.

Sliding her hands beneath the shirt, she began running them over him, enjoying the tensing of the muscles under the skin she stroked. She finished her exploration by taking the extra time to stroke and softly scratch slowly down his abdominals, all the way to the top of his britches.

"Ah... Evey..." he panted.

"Kiss me," she begged.

With a groan, he did; slowly at first, licking her lower lip and drawing it between his teeth. Then his kiss became more and more demanding. Soon he was nipping her lips and plundering her mouth.

Somewhere in the middle of it, his legs hit the back of the couch and he plopped down onto it without pausing in his attentions until, finally, he had to come up for air.

"I... didn't... tell you... you could sit," she managed to pant.

"Evey... love... take pity on me," he moaned, his legs shaking beneath her.

"I think you're going to have to make up for your little blunder," she breathed near his ear.

She stood unsteadily then and positioned herself between his legs, while holding onto his shoulders.

"Finish undressing me."

"With pleasure," he crooned, then wasted little time in unzipping her jeans and sliding them, along with her undies, off, his gloved hands lingering on her skin as he did so.

She shivered as she stepped out of her heels and he pulled each shoe stocking off her feet.

His hands returned to her waist and held her firmly, his thumbs drawing circles over her hips. "Love, give me something to do or I shall go mad," he pleaded, his voice pitched low; needy.

She swallowed reflexively, gathering her courage, unable to believe she was going to say this to him...

"If you missed me these last few days," she began, grateful for the cover of darkness, which hid her flaming face, "then prove it to me... using only your tongue.

He made that sound of his; a trill of sorts which could mean so many things, but which, right now spoke only of his extreme excitement.

Without any words, not apparently wanting to waste time with them, he tightened his grip and leaning forward, granted her a long, hard lick over her vulva. Before she could even draw in a shocked breath, he was parting her with his tongue and lapping greedily at her most sensitive areas.

Her legs shook and she clutched his shoulders for support as a pleasure so fierce that it was almost pain began to build and take control of her. In a very short time she hit her peak, yelling out his name as her legs buckled...

...and he caught her, pulling her across his lap.

She found herself being thoroughly kissed as she caught her breath.

"Oh love..." he purred. "To hear you call my name like that... is the stuff that dreams are made of." He suckled her breasts and nibbled her neck, all the while whispering endearments until finally he spoke into her right ear, "Please release me; give me free rein... I must have you!"

"No," she replied as she regained some strength.

"No?" he breathed, seemingly surprised by her response.

"No," she reiterated. "I won the game and I will exercise my rights as the victor. If you want free rein, you'll have to wait until you win the next game or seduce me another time."

He laughed then. "Touché, but I must warn you that I'm perilously close to losing control, so perhaps you might wish to... move things along?"

She kissed him and then laughed as well. "You kept control of yourself for twenty years... Don't even try to tell me you can't control yourself now," she admonished.

"Oh, why ever did I suggest this game?" he lamented.

"Because you thought you'd win," she replied.

"You know me too well."

"Not as well as I hope to," she whispered seductively, enticing another trill from him. "Why don't you just consider this a test of your character?" she added.

"Very well. Test me as you will."

"Help me stand up."

He did so.

"Stand up.

He did.

She slid his shirt off his shoulders and removed it, throwing it aside.

"Take your boots off."

He shucked them in record time.

Moving forward, she molded her body to his, her arms wrapping around and running over the muscles of his back.

V eagerly helped gather her to him.

For a short time she was content to just enjoy the feel of holding him and being held close in return, but then she reached up and pulled his head down to her for more kisses. When she broke off it was to catch her breath and whisper, "What if I said that whatever we did tonight, that you would have to keep your pants on and zipped?"

"Evey!" It was a protest and a plea.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"I will abide by the terms of the contest," he grumbled. "If only so that you know that I am true to my word..."

"Yes, I would be disappointed to discover that you're a sore loser," she teased.

"I will do as you ask," he repeated. "but I must remind you that if you intend to be so cruel, that you may wish to consider how things will go for you should you lose our next 'game'."

"You said that I could do with you as I pleased," she reminded him.

"Hmmm... I don't think I like the game so well anymore. Yes, you've ruined it for me. Are you happy now?" he teased.

She laughed, then kissed him as she brought a hand down and began rubbing his throbbing hardness through his britches, which quickly became damp with his need.

"Oh Evey..." he groaned against her mouth.

Her hands fumbled with the side closure for a moment before it came free. Pulling her mouth free of his, she slid his clothes, underwear and all, down to his ankles and then had him step out of them.

Rather than standing back up, she placed her hands on his hips and slowly moved forward until he could feel her warm breath on him.

His strong fingers began to massage her shoulders convulsively, silently urging her closer. By the time she suddenly licked the length of him, his legs were trembling once again.

Thrilled and impossibly aroused by the affect she was having on him, she took him in her mouth and began to make up for the terrible teasing she'd been inflicting upon him, taking care not to push him to the edge too quickly.

"Evey..." This time her name was a gasp.

She froze.

He groaned in frustration.

She stood up and wondered if he could follow her next directions, his legs were shaking so badly. "Pick me up," she asked anyway.

He lifted her as though she were a feather and she wrapped her legs around his waist once more. Then she slowly eased herself down until they barely made contact where they most wished to. Her arms wound about his neck and she planted kisses and nibbles along his jawline as he continued to shake.

"I set you free," she whispered.

With a growl, he took her, joining them completely and deeply with his very first thrust.

Evey gasped and then could do little but hold on for dear life as he vented his frustration by taking complete control of the situation.

Gripping her firmly, he drove into her rapidly, spastically, for long moments before regaining control and slowing his pace. He even went so far as to start teasing her; pulling out, he would pause for long seconds as he kissed her, only driving back into her when she groaned and wiggled in protest.

Soon it was her turn to gasp his name and plead, begging him for she-knew-not-what.

He responded by picking up the pace as he nipped her neck below the ear.

"Oh yes, my love," he encouraged her. "Yes... I'm close, too... Take me over the edge with you."

His words, his voice did indeed push her over the edge; she cried out and arched backward, quivering against him.

With a bellow, he drove into her one last time and then literally collapsed.

Evey felt a sudden vertigo, her stomach dropping out as V went down, his knees landing with a jolt on the floor.

Then he began to laugh. "Are you alright, my love?" he managed to choke out.

She laughed as well. "I'm more than alright. Shouldn't I be asking you how you are after that fall?"

He leaned her back until she was on the floor with him atop her and kissed her thoroughly once more. "The bruises will be gone by morning, but the memory of this night will last forever, dearest," he breathed between kisses.

"You do have a point," she mused. "Maybe we shouldn't play this game again; we don't want to overwrite a memory like this one, after all."

He rubbed his cheek against hers. "Good try, but I do insist on being given the chance to win our little game before we retire it."

"Oh? Do you have another game in mind already?" she asked.

Again he chuckled. "No, and although I cannot imagine a nicer one than the one we just played, the point is that..." He kissed her. "I need no games to enjoy your company. I love you truly; you know that, don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

The Shadow Gallery was silent for a time as they cuddled together, kissing, their hands joined; fingers entwined.

It was Evey who next spoke, many minutes later. "V?"

"Hmm?"

"It wasn't just a game."

"Of course not; it was a stealth exercise."

She smacked him playfully. "Yes, well aside from that it was also a bonding exercise, wasn't it?"

He grew still for a few seconds, then agreed, "Yes, love, it was indeed." Then he rose unexpectedly and swiftly to his feet, lifting her up with him and picking his way through the pitch dark.

"Where are we going?" she laughed.

"You, my dear have graduated bonding one-oh-one and are about to move on to the intermediate course."

"You can't be serious!" she said, still laughing. "You're insatiable!"

"Only for you, little one," he husked, gently kicking the bedroom door open as he found it in the dark. "Besides, I wasn't necessarily thinking of ravishing you; I was speaking of bonding."

"Oh honey..." she sighed, then kissed him.

"Of course, if you play your cards right..."

"You!"

"Can I take my gloves off now?" he asked, as the door closed behind them.

Together they collapsed upon the bed and when they finally fell asleep, their hands were still joined.


End file.
